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OVER 2 YOU 168 (17/02/04)
SQUARE DANCING
We are interested in
American Square Dancing. At times, with people of varying aptitudes -- especially
beginners, or when learning a new set of steps -- we need to be able to vary
the tempo of the music by between plus or minus 5 to 30%. This was easy to do with cassettes, Philips
produced a deck with variable speed playback, but CDs present a problem with
their essentially constant speed playback. Can anyone provide a solution,
possibly by modifying a CD deck or transferring our music library to a PC?
Roger Avery, via email
Mr Avery can solve his
problem in a number of ways, as already used by most of the top callers in the
UK, Europe and USA. You will require a laptop with a CD player. Transfer your
music from CD to MP3 format using Windows Media Player, Creative or whatever,
and store onto hard disk, describing each track. This can be done automatically
if you are online to the CD database (CDDB).Next you need a player with speed control. The most widely available player is
WinAmp with Pacemaker addition. Pacemaker controls Tempo, Pitch and Speed, so
that slowing a music track down does not sound like the bass has been turned up
loud and the treble has been eliminated.
A package is available from Vic Ceder (www.ceder.net), one of the top US callers, who
has not only bundled the music, giving a choice of players, but also allows the
square dance calls to be merged on the screen, in large text, which is very
useful for singing calls. Music tracks can be looped automatically, and
finished with one keystroke. Speed. Pitch and Tempo controls are included.
Finally, to broadcast to the dancers, output the music from the PC to an
external amplifier, using Line Out, which can also input your microphone, and
output to the loudspeakers. Now you are ready for Saturday Night dances!
Ray Haswell, via email
The Creative Labs Nomad
Jukebox 3 personal digital audio player will alter the playback speed of MP3
files stored on its hard disk drive. All Roger will have to do is
transfer his tapes or CDs to MP3.
David Aldis, Dubai
I have just upgraded my DVD
player software on my PC to a product called WinDVD Gold, which includes a
facility for varying the playback speed of DVDs to allow for the difference
between PAL and NTSC technology. I have tested and find this also works on CD
playback speeds with a range of -50% to +100% with control in 5%
increments. There’s more information and downloads at: http://www.intervideo.com/jsp/Home.jsp
Michael Porter, via email
Ken McDonald, via email
Variable speed CD players
are commercially available from e.g. Numark (www.numark.com). My
choice has been a “Numark CD Mix-2” which offers two CD players each with + / -
16% variable pitch, which I find more than adequate, inputs for microphone,
cassette deck or MiniDisc etc. and loads of useful features which would be
ideal for your application. For a more comprehensive range of equipment, you
could try (www.guildfordsoundandlight.com).
Terry Parkhouse, via email
Roger Avery should have no
trouble buying a variable speed CD player; they are used every night of the
week at hundreds of Modern Sequence Dance Clubs around the country. I bought
mine from Portogram, 212, High Street, Barnet, Herts., EN5 5SZ, Phone 020 8449
4183.
Jeff Ramsden, Rutland
I suggest he looks at the Marantz Superscope range of CD
players and recorders. The PSD 30, for example, can change tempo without
affecting the key, change the key one octave (up or down) without changing
tempo.
Stephen G Auster, via email
Stick with
cassettes! Coomber (www.coomber.co.uk)
makes a range of cassette players of which several models have variable
speed and search facility. I am a professional puppeteer and use their
Model 2085for my shows. This is a PA machine and powerful enough for large
halls. If new music is only available on CD dub then it on to cassette.
Alan Stockwell, via email
Variable-speed CD players are
available from music equipment and DJ equipment shops such as Turnkey in
Charing Cross Road, London. Pioneer makes vari-speed CDJ models costing
approximately £600. Try Richer Sounds hi-fi shops for budget models
starting at around £300.
C. J., via email.
My wife and go to ballroom
and sequence dances and the equipment used at various venues is Portogram.
Details of both CD and Mini disc variable speed players can be found at: http://www.btinternet.com/~portogram/2001.htm *
Shirley North, via email
RAINFALL MAPS
Does anyone know where I
can download the type of rainfall radar images that the Met Office uses on TV?
They seem to offer them only to commercial clients.
David Burnell, via email
I use a site based at
Wellesbourne Airfield, which gives real time weather information, and history
over the last 8 hours. The links from this site will take you to satellite and
radar information sites, although some do require subscription: http://www.wellesbourne.fsnet.co.uk/
wxoffice.htm
I find the link to http://www.xcweather.co.uk/ particularly
useful, although not radar, as it gives the current weather in France & the
UK
Paul Feltham, via email
CAN YOU HELP?
We are in the IT Consultancy
Business and use Sage accounting software. I have tried in vain to source
a flexible and proven time reporting system. Currently I have to log all
timesheets onto a spreadsheet and cross match this with invoices raised to
clients. I am looking for a system that I can use to log time against
various job codes and from that generate reports to assist me in producing
accurate invoices and job profit controls. A system that integrates to
Sage would be a bonus but not essential as several jobs are on a fixed price
rather than hourly basis. We do have several distinct jobs for a single
client however so job coding is important. I cannot believe we are alone;
I’m amazed how difficult it is to find the appropriate software. Is the answer
out there?
Sue Melly, via email
I like to use my iPod at
the gym but I can’t turn up the volume loud enough to drown out the piped
music. Has anyone solved this problem?
Mark Kirwin, via email
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